Demagoguery, not action, on gas prices

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Congressional Republicans have joined their Democratic colleagues in disgraceful demagoguery over the painful rise in gas prices.

Charges of "price gouging" provoke public rage, especially when oil companies report lavish profits, but why is it shocking that when international costs of a barrel of crude reaches record levels, the US price also increases?

Should oil companies sell to Americans at lower prices than the rest of the world eagerly pays?

If Americans pay less than citizens of other nations (who are already accustomed to high pump prices), that will guarantee future shortages at your local station; gas inevitably flows to markets paying the highest price.

Meanwhile, grandstanding politicos  both Republican and Democratic  ignore the one step they could take to put immediate downward pressure on oil prices: Authorizing long-delayed drilling in a tiny portion of the remote Arctic National Wildlife Reserve, and disregarding the ravings of environmental fanatics.

Michael Medved has taken an extraordinary journey from liberal activist to outspoken conservative. Along the way he has earned millions of admirers  and more than his share of enemies  by advancing controversial, often counterintuitive arguments. Sales help fund JWR.

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